February 2007 - Vegetarian Foods And Recipes

Vegetarian foods and recipes

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Vegetarian foods and recipes - February 2007

Bocconcini and pesto slices

February 28th 2007 05:59

Bocconcini cheese is small balls of buffalo milk mozzarella cheese, usually packed in water to keep them fresh. It is usually served fresh as appetizers, and rarely cooked. It is common in many Italian salads.

Pesto, also known as pesto alla genovese by the Italians, is a puree of basil leaves, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. It is fantastic as a spread or a pasta sauce.

Ingredients:
Organic bread, sliced
Fresh bocconcini cheese, sliced (available in your supermarket)
Dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

To make pesto:
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed well
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1-2 tablespoons pine nuts
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Pepper

1. Place basil leaves, garlic and pine nuts into blender. Cover half of basil leaves with olive oil.
2. Add pepper and blend into a paste.
3. Lastly, add parmesan cheese and blend. Add a little oil if necessary.
4. Taste and only add salt if necessary.

To make slices:
1. Grill bread on both sides.
2. Spread basil pesto on each slice.
3. Top with bocconcini cheese.
4. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper before serving as a side with pasta or as a snack.

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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Milking it for what its worth

February 28th 2007 05:39

Many Asian cultures still cannot digest milk, hence the popularity in soy milk. However, Indians have so many recipes rich with milk and cream and clarified butter (or ghee). In our home we stock up on organic oat, rice or soy milks and if we must have dairy we use organic skim milk and organic butter.

When you look at most traditional cultures, the main form of dairy consumed has been cultured products like yoghurt and cheeses without rennet, made of goat or sheep milk. Milk from these animals contains smaller protein and fat molecules – just look how big a cow is and you can’t tell me its ‘natural’ to be drinking from it! Now in saying that, let’s face it, dairy tastes good and if you can tolerate it try the recipes that follow.

Marinated Greek Feta

Greek feta cheese is traditionally made from sheep's milk, or a mixture of sheep and goats' milk. The cheese gets its name due to the process of salting, slicing (feta) and then salting again before being left for a month to mature.

Ingredients:
1 block/250 gm Greek Feta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning (available from supermarket)
Dried chilli (whole or flakes)

1. Cut feta cheese into cubes.
2. Pour Tuscan seasoning into a clear jar with an airtight lid. Top with cheese cubes.
3. Pour olive oil to cover feta cheese ensuring there are no air pockets. Cheese should be completely covered with oil.
4. Add the peppercorns and chilli.
5. Store in fridge and consume within 2-3 weeks.
6. Enjoy with organic bread or in a salad.

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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Milk is an 8000 year old acquired taste

February 28th 2007 04:42

A recent study of DNA from skeletons has suggested that European adults from 6000BC to 5000BC were unable to absorb lactose, a sugar found in milk.

The findings back the idea that the ability to digest milk spread only after the introduction of cattle farming in Europe 20,000 years ago. The rival idea, that dairy farming was pioneered by a group of Neolithic farmers who tolerated milk, was overturned by the study of a team from University College London and Mainz University, Germany. Instead, the Neolithic offspring of Paleolithic (Stone Age) people evolved their tolerance of milk in the past 8000 years due to exposure to dairy products. To investigate the link between farming and lactose intolerance, the team focused on the DNA for a gene responsible for lactase which is the enzyme required to digest milk. This suggests that the first European cattle farmers used herds for working the land, leather and meat. They moved on to yoghurt and cheese, which contain less lactose.

This means that we have only been drinking milk for a very short period of time in our evolution. Remember also that they didn’t have fridges back then, so yoghurt and cheese were not only a convenient way to preserve dairy but they also contained less lactose which made it tolerable. There are a number of people against the consumption of milk and those for it, namely for health and ethical reasons. Ultimately, you need to weigh the positives and negatives and make your own decision – remember the golden rule – everything in moderation!

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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Spinach, basil and pine nut rice

February 27th 2007 06:42

Makes for 4 persons

Ingredients

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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Chickpea rice bake

February 26th 2007 02:00

Makes one large casserole dish (4 persons)

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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Welcome readers

February 25th 2007 23:30

Vegetarian or not, good food is all about taste. As vegetarianism becomes a more popular and healthier choice for many, it is now common to be catering to the occasional vegetarian guest for dinner, or cooking for a teen who has decided to be a vegetarian.

Avoiding meat may be alarming to some, but it can be a very healthy way to eat. No matter what the reason, be it concern for animals and the environment or your own health, you will find nutritious and inspirational recipe ideas here that will satisfy even the most carnivorous eater

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Posted By: Sheetal Shah - Category: No Category

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